Homemade vegetable broth is a true staple of my kitchen and it revolves around one main steady in my life: vegetable scraps. The ends and root bits, and less than pretty for the main dish parts all make it into a jumbo sized freezer bag, in my freezer, for my next batch of broth. For a long time, store-bought was fine enough. And store-bought is fine, don’t get me wrong! But once you make your own, especially in the Instant Pot which also keeps it easyyyyyy peasy in prep and clean up, it is genuinely hard to go back. The depth of flavor you get from simmering your own vegetable scraps and herbs together is just on a different level, and the fact that it comes together with almost no effort makes it even better!
This is also one of the most practical recipes I make on a regular basis. Like I mentioned already, I keep a bag in the freezer where I toss vegetable scraps as I cook throughout the week — onion skins, carrot peels, celery tops, herb stems — and when it gets full, I make a batch of broth. Nothing goes to waste. It feels good, it saves money, and the result is a rich, often golden hued broth that makes everything from soups to grains taste significantly better.
The Instant Pot makes this almost effortless. Instead of babysitting a pot on the stove for hours, you load everything in, seal it, and walk away. Pressure cooking extracts flavor quickly and efficiently, and you end up with a broth that tastes like it simmered all day. If you have been sleeping on using your Instant Pot for stock and broth, this is the recipe that will change that for you, I promise!
A few things worth knowing before you start. You want to include alliums (onion, garlic, leeks, those kinds) because they form the savory backbone of any good broth. The rest imo is swappable, but alliums are non-negotiable. Carrots add a little natural sweetness if they are there. Celery brings that classic broth flavor. Fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, and bay leaves round everything out and add complexity. What you want to avoid are brassicas like broccoli, cabbage, or Brussels sprouts, which can make the broth bitter and a bit funky, although in small quantities don’t do terrible harm if necessary. Same goes for beets if you want a light colored broth (and less earthy), and starchy vegetables like potatoes or corn cobs which can cloud it up. Although I have tried a little bit of everything at this point.
Once it is done, the hardest part is just to strain it well, let it cool, and portion it out. That’s it! It keeps in the fridge for about five days or, actually it freezes beautifully for up to three months, a favorite of mine to do in the summer when everything is peak but I’m not really feeling a whole lot of soups/stews. I like to freeze some in trays so I always have small amounts ready to go for sauces and grains. The rest I store in mason jars or freezer bags laid flat to save space (a true hack I can’t remember who taught me, but I am grateful for learning!).
This is one of those foundational recipes that will make everything else you cook better, and it costs nothing essentially since you are just using scraps. Once it becomes a habit, you will wonder why you ever bought broth from a carton when you could easily make a better one for free with what you already have. Give it a try and let me know how yours turns out! Tag me on socials @herbyeats if you share it, too!
Homemade Vegetable Broth (Instant Pot Easy)
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Large Strainer
- Large bowl
- Ladle/Large Spoon
Ingredients
Vegetable Scraps (from Freezer or Fridge), OR:
- 2 large onions roughly chopped (skins on for color)
- 4 carrots roughly chopped
- 4 celery stalks roughly chopped
- 1 whole head of garlic halved crosswise
- 1 leek roughly chopped (white and green parts)
- 1 bunch fresh parsley stems included
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for depth
- 12 cups cold water
- 1½ tsp salt adjust to taste at the end
Instructions
- Add all vegetables, herbs, peppercorns, soy sauce, and water to the Instant Pot. Do not fill above the max fill line.
- Seal the lid and set to Pressure Cook (Manual) on HIGH for 30 minutes.
- Allow to naturally release pressure for 15–20 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
- Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and strain the broth, pressing down on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
- Taste and season with salt. Let cool before portioning into jars or freezer bags.
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.